June 21, 2021 Appeal for Opinions on Draft Summary of Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) have been holding a Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank (chaired by Joji Shishido, professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate Schools for Law and Politics). Regarding the information trust function required by so-called “Personal Data Trust banks,” the Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank deliberated on handling information in the health and medical field and selecting third parties where information would be provided. As a result, a summary of the Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank has been drafted, along with a draft of Guideline ver. 2.1. Accordingly, MIC will make an appeal for opinions on these drafts from Tuesday, June 22 through Tuesday, July 6, 2021.

1. Overview

MIC and METI had the Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank (hereafter referred to as “the Study Group”) released Guideline on Certification of Personal Data Trust Bank (hereafter referred to as the “Guideline”) ver. 1.0 in June 2018, which summarized a system of the voluntary certification of Personal Data Trust Banks by private organizations. In October 2019, the Study Group released ver. 2.0 of the Guideline.
After that, the certification of Personal Data Trust Banks progressed, and additional discussions have become necessary on the issues that became apparent in the certification and operation of Personal Data Trust Banks. With consideration of the situation, the Study Group resumed its discussion in July 2020. Since then, the Study Group has been deliberating on handling information in the health and medical field, including the Guidelines. The deliberations also covered the selection of third parties where information would be provided.
Recently, the summary of the Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank has been drafted, along with the draft of Guideline ver. 2.1. Accordingly, MIC has decided to make this appeal on the drafts from Tuesday, June 22 through Tuesday, July 6, 2021.

2. Guidelines for appealing opinions

1. Subject of appeal for opinions

Draft Summary of the Study Group for Certification Scheme of Personal Data Trust Bank

2. Submission deadline

Tuesday, July 6, 2021
(Opinions by postal mail reaching after the deadline date will be accepted if postmarked on or before Tuesday, July 6, 2021.)

3. Future plans

With consideration of opinions that will be submitted, the draft will be finalized and released.

Contact

For further information about this press release, please fill in the inquiry form and submit it to MIC on the website
https://www.soumu.go.jp/common/english_opinions.html

International Policy Division, Global Strategy Bureau, MIC

TEL: +81 3 5253 5920

FAX: +81 3 5253 5924